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North Wales Live
18 hours ago
- North Wales Live
Hospital worker and husband planned brutal rape of young children
A hospital worker and her husband, who sent depraved messages to each other, where they planned and discussed the rape and sexual abuse of children, have been jailed. During the sick messages, they spoke about taking one child to a shed where they would rape and choke her, and spoke about "disposing" of her, a court heard. Tracy Turner, 52, and Stuart Compton, 46, from Cardiff, were also found to be in possession of indecent images of children being sexually abused. Compton had also told other like-minded paedophiles his "preference" was for children aged between one and six years old, reports WalesOnline. A sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Monday heard the messages came to light following the arrests of the couple in June, 2024, and the police received information from a well known dating app. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter. There were more than 100,000 lines of messages between the defendants over WhatsApp, in which they spoke in detail about committing sexual acts against real children, and referred to each other as "Bonnie and Clyde". In 2022, the couple began discussing the rape of a girl, who was under the age of 10. Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe said Compton and Turner, an operating theatre assistant at the University Hospital of Wales, planned to take the girl for a walk in woodland and a nearby cemetery before taking her to a shed near a rail line and carrying out the "brutal acts". Compton was said to be "obsessed" with performing a sex act on the child before raping her. They also discussed Turner performing a sex act upon the child, to "make her ready" for Compton to rape her. During these discussions, Compton described masturbating at the thought of the abuse, with Turner encouraging him, and on occasions she would describe masturbating. Mr Cobbe said: "They both recognised the brutality of the sexual acts that they discussed, they recognised that they would need to take steps to ensure (the child) could not cry out or scream as she was being abused." The defendants came to the conclusion Turner would sit on the child's face, to prevent any sound of distress or call for help. The prosecutor added: "They recognised the abuse for what it was, they recognised that it was rape. It was not a realization that it would amount to rape, instead they were clearly stimulated by the fact that it was rape.... "They discussed that they could choke (the child). Compton derived a thrill from the prospect of continuing to rape (the child) both during the choking and after she lost consciousness. "They recognised that the completion of the act would in turn lead to the difficult prospect of what to do next with (the child). They discussed disposal of (the child), Compton clearly linked the choking to a fatal conclusion." The court heard that Compton claimed he would "accept all responsibility" for the act if either of them were arrested. He added: "There will be blood and tears babe so be prepared". Turner said she would not tell anyone, and added: "The only person who knows my darkest secrets is you." Their attention later turned to a boy, who was under the age of 13 when Compton told Turner he would get the boy to feel her breasts. After initially being reluctant, Turner quickly agreed she would like to have sexual intercourse with the boy, and told Compton she was masturbating at the thought of having sex with him. Compton told Turner this was "different from fantasy" and he wanted to do this for "real". They spoke about grooming the boy by touching him. Mr Cobbe said the ultimate plan was for Turner to perform a sex act on (the boy) and to cause him to penetrate her. He said Compton said that he wanted to watch and at one stage admitted that he also wanted to carry out a sex act on the boy. It was also said Turner called Compton (the boy's) name during sex and Compton fantasised about having sex with Turner, the boy and the female child together. Reference was also made to a second girl, who was also under the age of 10. Compton told Turner he had masturbated over the thought of her. During their conversation, Compton told Turner he had a sexual desire for girls under the age of 10, and told her to leave him. He went on to tell Turner he would handcuff her while performing sex acts on the girl and he wanted to rape the girl. Compton said he wanted to steal the child's underwear and for her to sit on his lap. They spoke about a plan to sexually abuse the child, but Turner said she would "end her life" if anyone became aware of the plan. She went on to say she was "turned on" by the plan, but it "felt so wrong". The couple spoke about giving the girl a sleeping tablet or diazepam and once she was unconscious they would position her body and take photos of her. Compton described the plan as "my favourite fantasy of all through realism and sexiness combined". On June 25 last year, police officers located Compton smoking a cigarette outside the Crwys pub in Cardiff and he was arrested. He claimed the dating app he was signed up to had been "hacked". The defendant told the officers his phone was at work and Turner approached them, wanting to know what was going on. Compton was taken to Cardiff Bay police station, and officers returned to the pub to speak to Turner, who also claimed her husband had left his phone at work. The pub manager later handed a mobile phone to the police, which Turner had given to her and asked her to look after it. A search of Compton's home led to the seizure of a sharp ended baton, a knuckle duster and a concealed blade. His phone was examined and a number of indecent images of children were discovered in the gallery app and within the Session app. A total of 22 category A images, six category B images and 39 category C images were discovered and related to children who were of primary school age. Compton had also been distributing images on WhatsApp and Session to paedophiles, during which he adopted different identities, and told contacts his preference was for children aged between one and six years old. Turner's phone was found to contain one category B image and nine category C images, which had been sent to her by Compton, as well as videos of him masturbating while they were discussing child abuse. In 2023, the couple discussed going to a "family festival" where there would be young children, with Compton saying he'd like to go to a "hippy one, where lots of drugs consumed leaving unattended girls, great f****** idea that's genius babe." During his police interview, Compton claimed the conversations were "role play" and that one of the children they were discussing was not real. Turner claimed she was "not being serious" and denied having any sexual interest in children, saying Compton was a "fantasist" and had "manipulated her". Compton, of Daniel Street, Cathays, later pleaded guilty to six counts of arranging a child sex offence, three counts of making indecent images, and three counts of distributing indecent images. Turner, of Ninian Road, Roath, pleaded guilty to six counts of arranging a child sex offence and two counts of making indecent images. Both defendants were of previous good character. A series of victim personal statements were read to the court by Mr Cobbe, the first from the mother of the first female child. She said: "Police visited our home and informed us our child had been discussed by the defendants in a sexual nature. It's difficult to describe the impact on us as parents, we are overcome with emotion, sickness and shock. The increased sense of protectiveness over our children is overwhelming... "How did no-one see what was happening?... When we learnt the extent of the charges it was gut wrenching and devastating. I was unable to sleep or eat, I lost my appetite and felt upset or sick all the time. Our family dynamic has changed and our relationship as a couple is strained and has deteriorated. It's constantly on my mind and my husband tries to put it in a box. I become numb and he becomes angry at the world. "We have taken independence away from our children for fear of something else happening. I didn't know who I could trust, we had to make changes for our family to feel safe and feel an overwhelming sense of protectiveness. The decisions we make as parents are very different out of paranoia and fear... "We're trying to rescue our family from something that is out of our hands. Sometimes it's very real and sometimes it's like a soap opera. How has this happened to our child? We feel guilty, overwhelmed and out of control... The thought of what could have happened to our daughter by two people with monstrous sexual intent is unimaginable. The gravity of this is huge and hard to put into words." The next statement is from the second female child's father. He said: "The pain they have put me and my family through is incomprehensible... I hope what they have done to me and my family stays with them for the rest of their lives." The second female child's mother said: "Our world is turned upside down. It's difficult to process the information which was given to us by police and devastated to learn of our daughter's involvement in their distorted schemes... We'll have to try and navigate our lives and this will hang over us until we are able to do so. I am furious I have been put in this situation to lie to my child to protect her from the harsh reality of the truth... I hope I can regain some sort of balance and the internal horror will diminish." In mitigation, Kevin Seal, for Compton, said his client was a user of drugs including cocaine and cannabis, and was misusing alcohol. He said the defendant had a mild depressive and anxiety disorder, chronic pain in his back and had been diagnosed with compulsive sexual behaviour disorder. Nicola Powell, for Turner, said her client had worked for the NHS for 33 years "without blemish" and was suffering from a number of issues including stress, financial debt, low mood, anxiety and depression. The barrister described the defendant having an "unhealthy relationship" with Compton, which was described as "consuming, possessive, controlling and oppressive". It was also said she abused alcohol and took cocaine every day having been introduced by her co-defendant. The defendant said she had ended her relationship with Compton, and told a probation officer: "I just said what he wanted to hear, I never thought any of it would have happened. I wish I reported it to the police, I regret it every hour of every day." Sentencing, the Recorder of Cardiff, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said: "There was clear intent to arrange sexual acts but these acts did not take place." Referring to the messages and plans made by the defendants, the judge said: "They were not pure fantasy, you both had a sexual interest in children and intended to carry out your brutal sexual plans... Your actions have devastated the families of the children involved." Judge Lloyd-Clarke said she found both defendants posed a significant risk to children and were dangerous in respects of the legal definition. Compton was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of seven years. He was emotionless as the sentence was delivered. Turner, who sobbed throughout the hearing, was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment with an extended licence period of two years. Both defendants were made subject to sex offender notification requirements for life, and to Sexual Harm Prevention Orders and restraining orders until further notice.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Teen dad shook crying baby until newborn had brain damage - then blamed the dog
Dafydd Rutherford, 22, shook his newborn to the point of irreparable brain damage and initially blamed the dog, claiming it knocked over the baby's basket before he admitted the truth A young dad shook his crying baby until the newborn had irreparable brain damage and had the audacity to blame the family dog. Dafydd Rutherford's shaking led his weeks-old infant to suffer multiple brain bleeds that have had life-long and devastating consequences, Swansea Crown Court heard. The court was told how Rutherford confessed to shaking his baby out of frustration and said it was not done to harm the child but was done instead to "stop the baby crying." His defence lawyers said the offence was a result of "immaturity, impulsivity, and recklessness", stating that Rutherford, who was a teenager at the time, "simply wasn't ready for a child." Head scans revealed the baby suffered bleeding on the brain, which led to the involvement of police and social services. The court heard how the infant was rushed to the paediatric care unit at the University Hospital of Wales, in Cardiff. MRI scans showed bleeding on both sides of the brain around the spinal cord as well as damage to the brain due to being deprived of oxygen, Wales Online reported. Rutherford initially denied having caused the injuries to his child and claimed the dog knocked over the baby's basket. The defendant then admitted he had become frustrated with the dog barking and the baby crying before confessing to shaking the infant "three or four times." An impact statement from the baby's relatives read to the court described having felt as though they were "torn apart" while the defendant remained silent. They added that by failing to tell doctors, Rutherford had "chosen to help himself rather than help his [child.]" Rutherford, 22, previously admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm when he appeared for sentencing. Stuart John representing Rutherford, told the court that his client recognised he has inflicted "irreparable damage" upon his infant child as well as the entire family. He added the crime came from a place of "immaturity, impulsivity, and recklessness" and said the defendant would be haunted by his actions for the rest of his life. He said at the time of the incident he was a teenager who was "not ready for a child." Judge Catherine Richards told Rutherford that the baby had only been weeks old when he inflicted "devastating" injuries. She said the defendant initially refused to take responsibility for the injuries before confessing he became frustrated by the dog and baby, resulting in him losing his temper. Following a reduction for his guilty plea, Rutherford received a 28-month prison sentence. He will serve up to half of the term before being released on licence to complete the remainder in his community.
South Wales Argus
22-07-2025
- Health
- South Wales Argus
Woman died after brain tumour misdiagnosed as trapped nerve
Helen Arthur, 57, first became unwell on Good Friday in April 2019, experiencing persistent back pain and visual disturbances. Her GP put it down to a trapped nerve but Helen's condition didn't improve. After developing headaches, Helen had an eye test, and her optician thought she may have suffered a minor stroke, so sent her to hospital. A CT scan revealed a mass on Helen's brain and she was diagnosed with a glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable brain tumour. Helen Arthur died after aggressive brain tumour misdiagnosed as trapped nerve (Image: Brain Tumour Research / SWNS) In May 2019, Helen underwent surgery to remove the tumour, followed by six months of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy. But a routine monitoring scan in 2021 showed recurrence and Helen underwent another course of combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy. A a further MRI scan revealed multiple inoperable tumours had developed and her condition deteriorated too quickly to treat it. Helen, of from Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, died in May 2022, three years since her initial surgery. Helen Arthur died after brain tumour misdiagnosed as trapped nerve. (Image: Brain Tumour Research / SWNS) Helen's husband Brent Arthur said: 'We were told Helen had a brain tumour which was a complete shock. "The doctors said most people survive just two to three years. "Words left me, I was speechless. "We were told there would be a recurrence, but it took us by surprise, we thought we had more time." Helen Arthur died after brain tumour misdiagnosed as trapped nerve. (Image: Brain Tumour Research / SWNS) After Helen's first CT scan, at Prince Charles Hospital in Wales in Merthyr Tydfil, which revealed a mass, she was transferred to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Brent recalled getting the awful phone call from his son, revealing the devastating news in May 2019. He said: "I wasn't feeling well so I went to bed and expected our son Benjamin and Helen to be home within a couple of hours. "I got a call from Benjamin saying I needed to go to the hospital. "Confused as to what could be wrong, I went. "That was when our lives changed.' After her surgery, plus six months of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy, it was thought to have been a success. Helen was monitored with quarterly scans as she continued to live an active life, and spend time with her family and grandchildren. In late 2021, one of these scans showed the recurrence. A further course of treatment was planned, and Helen underwent another course of combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy. A further MRI scan in April 2022 revealed multiple inoperable tumours had developed. Just a week later, Helen's original pathology results showed she had a one-in-three million genetic mutation, which might respond to targeted medication. Sadly, by this point, Helen's condition had deteriorated, and treatment was not possible. Brent said: 'We were all shocked and devastated. "We spent as much time together as possible, with the children and grandchildren. "Seeing Helen decline was difficult for us all.' After she passed, Helen was survived by husband Brent as well as children Emily, 35, and Benjamin, 33, and grandchildren Penny, six, Nora, four, Isaac, three, and Rhoda, one. Helen Arthur 'lived for her family' (Image: Brain Tumour Research / SWNS) Brent said: 'Helen lived for her family. "She was looking forward to reducing her work hours so she could help care for our grandchildren. "That's what hurts the most, she never got to enjoy the role she was so excited for. "All she ever wanted was to be a young nan, but this cruel disease robbed her of that." Brent and his family have now raised more than £5,700 for Brain Tumour Research, enough to fund two days of research at one of the charity's Centres of Excellence. On Father's Day on June 15, Brent completed a 10,000-foot skydive in Helen's memory. Brent said: "Our family has been robbed of a wife, mother and grandmother, and more funding is desperately needed for research. "Without it, other families will continue to face the same heartbreak we've been going through." Each year in the UK, around 3,200 people are diagnosed with glioblastoma, yet just 160 will survive five years or more. Glioblastoma accounts for one in three primary brain tumour diagnoses, and current treatment offers little in the way of long-term hope. Letty Greenfield, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: 'Helen's story is heartbreaking and all too common. "Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain cancer with limited treatment options and a devastating prognosis. "We are incredibly grateful to Brent and his family for honouring Helen's memory through their fundraising. "It's support like this that helps us push for better outcomes and ultimately a cure."
North Wales Live
21-07-2025
- Health
- North Wales Live
Woman robbed of seeing her grandchildren grow up after being told she had trapped nerve
A mum-of-two diedy from an aggressive brain tumour after her symptoms, which included back pain, were initially diagnosed as a trapped nerve. Helen Arthur, 57, from Merthyr Tydfil, first fell ill on Good Friday in April 2019, when she began to suffer from persistent back pain and visual issues. Her GP attributed the symptoms to a trapped nerve; however, Helen's condition failed to improve. Following the onset of headaches, an eye examination led to her being sent to hospital over concerns she might have had a minor stroke. Subsequent CT scans uncovered a mass on Helen's brain, leading to a diagnosis of glioblastoma, a relentless and terminal brain tumour. In May 2019, Helen underwent an operation to excise the tumour, which was then followed by half a year of intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment. Despite this, a routine scan in 2021 revealed the cancer's return, prompting another round of therapy. Later MRI scans showed the emergence of multiple untreatable tumours, and Helen's health declined too rapidly for further intervention. Helen sadly died in May 2022, three years post her initial surgery. Her husband, Brent Arthur, said: "We were told Helen had a brain tumour, which was a complete shock. The doctors said most people survive just two to three years. "Words left me, I was speechless. We were told there would be a recurrence, but it took us by surprise, we thought we had more time." Following Helen's initial CT scan at Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil, which detected a mass, she was moved to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Brent recounted the harrowing moment he received the call from his son in May 2019, breaking the grim news. He recalled: "I wasn't feeling well, so I went to bed and expected our son Benjamin and Helen to be home within a couple of hours. I got a call from Benjamin saying I needed to go to the hospital. "Confused as to what could be wrong, I went. That was when our lives changed." Helen underwent surgery and six months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which initially seemed successful. She maintained an active lifestyle while being closely observed with quarterly scans. However, a scan in late 2021 revealed the cancer had returned, leading to another round of treatment for Helen, combining radiotherapy and chemotherapy. An MRI in April 2022 showed multiple tumours that were inoperable. Shortly after, it was discovered Helen had a rare genetic mutation potentially treatable with specific drugs, but her health had already declined too far for treatment. Brent said: "We were all shocked and devastated. We spent as much time together as possible, with the children and grandchildren. Seeing Helen decline was difficult for us all." Following her death, Helen left behind her husband Brent, along with children Emily, 35, and Benjamin, 33, plus grandchildren Penny, six, Nora, four, Isaac, three, and Rhoda, one. Brent said: "Helen lived for her family. She was looking forward to reducing her work hours so she could help care for our grandchildren. "That's what hurts the most, she never got to enjoy the role she was so excited for. All she ever wanted was to be a young nan, but this cruel disease robbed her of that." Brent and his relatives have since collected more than £5,700 for Brain Tumour Research, sufficient to support two days of investigation at one of the charity's Centres of Excellence. On Father's Day, Brent undertook a 10,000-foot skydive in Helen's honour. Brent said: "Our family has been robbed of a wife, mother and grandmother and more funding is desperately needed for research. Without it, other families will continue to face the same heartbreak we've been going through." Annually across the UK, approximately 3,200 people receive a glioblastoma diagnosis, though merely 160 will live beyond five years. Glioblastoma represents one in three primary brain tumour cases, with existing treatments providing minimal long-term prospects. Letty Greenfield, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: "Helen's story is heartbreaking and all too common. Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain cancer with limited treatment options and a devastating prognosis. "We are incredibly grateful to Brent and his family for honouring Helen's memory through their fundraising. It's support like this that helps us push for better outcomes and ultimately a cure."
Daily Mirror
21-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'My wife was told she had a trapped nerve - now we have been robbed of her'
Helen Arthur, 57, was initially told her back pain was probably a trapped nerve A mum-of-two died from an aggressive brain tumour after her back pain was initially attributed to a trapped nerve. Helen Arthur, 57, began feeling unwell on Good Friday in April 2019, suffering from persistent back pain and visual disturbances. Her GP initially believed it was a trapped nerve, but Helen's symptoms persisted. Following the onset of headaches, an eye test led her optician to suspect a minor stroke, prompting a hospital referral. A CT scan at the hospital uncovered a mass on Helen's brain, leading to a diagnosis of glioblastoma, a relentless and incurable brain tumour. In May 2019, Helen faced surgery to remove the tumour, which was followed by six months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy combined. Despite the treatment, a routine scan in 2021 revealed the cancer had returned and Helen faced another round of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Sadly, further MRI scans showed the development of multiple inoperable tumours, and Helen's condition declined too rapidly for further intervention. Helen, hailing from Merthyr Tydfil in Wales, succumbed to the disease in May 2022, three years after her initial operation. Helen's husband Brent Arthur said: "We were told Helen had a brain tumour, which was a complete shock. The doctors said most people survive just two to three years. "Words left me, I was speechless. We were told there would be a recurrence, but it took us by surprise, we thought we had more time." Helen's initial CT scan at Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil, uncovered a mass, leading to her transfer to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Brent recounted the harrowing moment he received the call from his son in May 2019, breaking the tragic news. He said: "I wasn't feeling well, so I went to bed and expected our son Benjamin and Helen to be home within a couple of hours. I got a call from Benjamin saying I needed to go to the hospital. "Confused as to what could be wrong, I went. That was when our lives changed." Following successful surgery and six months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, Helen seemed to be on the mend, with regular scans tracking her progress as she embraced life and cherished moments with her family and grandchildren. However, a scan towards the end of 2021 revealed the cancer had returned. Helen faced another round of treatment, enduring more chemotherapy and radiotherapy. An MRI scan in April 2022 showed the development of multiple inoperable tumours. Just seven days later, it was discovered that Helen had an extremely rare genetic mutation, potentially treatable with specific drugs. Tragically, by then, Helen's health had declined too far for treatment to be an option. Brent said: "We were all shocked and devastated. We spent as much time together as possible, with the children and grandchildren. Seeing Helen decline was difficult for us all." Helen's passing left her husband Brent, their children Emily, 35, and Benjamin, 33, along with grandchildren Penny, six, Nora, four, Isaac, three, and Rhoda, one, to cherish her memory. Brent added: "Helen lived for her family. She was looking forward to reducing her work hours so she could help care for our grandchildren. "That's what hurts the most, she never got to enjoy the role she was so excited for. All she ever wanted was to be a young nan, but this cruel disease robbed her of that." In Helen's honour, Brent and his loved ones have collected over £5,700 for Brain Tumour Research, which will support two full days of research at one of the charity's Centres of Excellence. To commemorate Father's Day, Brent undertook a skydive from 10,000 feet in remembrance of Helen. Brent said: "Our family has been robbed of a wife, mother and grandmother and more funding is desperately needed for research. Without it, other families will continue to face the same heartbreak we've been going through." Around 3,200 people in the UK are diagnosed with glioblastoma every year, yet only about 160 will survive beyond five years. Glioblastoma represents a third of all primary brain tumour cases, and the current treatments offer scant hope for a long-term cure. Letty Greenfield, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: "Helen's story is heartbreaking and all too common. Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain cancer with limited treatment options and a devastating prognosis. "We are incredibly grateful to Brent and his family for honouring Helen's memory through their fundraising. It's support like this that helps us push for better outcomes and ultimately a cure."
